Irish Brown Bread aka Kathleen's Irish Brown Bread

A recent comment about my Irish Soda Bread post got me thinking about what makes a recipe traditional. If you do a search for recipes containing the word 'traditional' in them, the number of variations for a single recipe are mindboggling. As an example, what a traditional Irish Soda Bread or a traditional lasagna is to one person isn't necessarily traditional to another. If we think of a traditional food or dish as one passed on through generations, then the traditional version of any recipe might heavily depend on the family or place you grew up in. But then what happens when those 'traditional' recipes get nuanced over time based on personal taste or the availability/quality of ingredients? Do they become the 'new traditional' or our own personal 'traditional'? Regardless of how you answer those questions, maybe believing the version you are making is the most delicious one is what truly matters most. 

So what do you do when you want to make a 'traditional' food but it's one you didn't grow up eating or making? You can go on the hunt for one by scouring the internet and/or books/magazines and try to decide which one to make or modify, you can ask a good friend (specifically a friend coming from a family making it for generations), or you can do both and then decide. Spoiler alert: I made the recipe given to me by a very good friend.

Sheila was first a neighbor, then a good friend when I lived in my rented farmhouse in Little Compton, Rhode Island. I can't even to begin to count on two hands the number of kindnesses she has extended to me over the years. After talking on the phone with her last week I came away with her mother Kathleen's recipe for Irish Brown Bread. One beloved by everyone in Sheila's family. Before moving to the states years ago, Sheila grew up in County Clare. It's the place where her mother still resides. So there were a myriad of reasons why I decided to make this Irish Brown Bread recipe. It was one having a bit of tradition to it; it came from Ireland; and, last but not least, Sheila happens to be a really, really good cook. Yet, in spite of all of those compelling reasons, I still felt the need to go down the Irish Brown Bread recipe rabbit hole. 

The ingredients for this Irish Brown Bread recipe were unlike any others I had found. First, it was made using only all-purpose flour, not whole wheat flour or a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour. Second, wheat bran, yes wheat bran, was a significant ingredient. Wheat bran happens to be rich in fiber and protein, has very little fat, and adds a slight nutty flavor to baked goods. And lastly, there were no sweeteners in this brown bread recipe. No granulated sugar, no brown sugar, no molasses. All of which had me wondering how this dense bread might taste. But I wouldn't know if I didn't make it.

Kathleen's Irish Brown Bread is traditionally shaped in an oval, not as a round loaf. Like most Irish Brown Breads it has a deep cross cut into it as well as deep cuts into each of the quarters. And before going into the preheated 450 degree (F) oven, the loaf of bread is ever so lightly dusted with flour.

Rather than bake the bread in a pan lightly dusted with flour, I opted to bake it in a cast iron pan lined with parchment paper. The bread bakes in 35-40 minutes, although my loaf was done right at the 35 minute mark.

The most difficult part of making this recipe (other than having to search for Wheat Bran) was waiting for it cool down just long enough for it to be cut into thick slices.

If Irish Soda Bread is on the sweet side with a scone like taste, then the denser in texture Irish Brown Bread is on the savory side with a deep nutty flavor. Both are delicious slathered with room temperature Irish butter. However, the Irish Brown Bread is equally delicious topped with both butter and jam, toasted and topped with some soft scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, and or topped with a slice of fresh mozzarella sprinkled with sea salt. 

Irish Brown Bread is a simple, hearty, rustic bread. With fat coming only from the buttermilk along with it being made with wheat bran, it's a little on the bread healthier side. But most importantly, it also happens to be satisfyingly delicious. This treasured recipe is one that will be repeated around here.

Had I never moved to Rhode Island for a few years and had I never became friends with Sheila, I would have never been able to make Kathleen Arkins from County Clare Irish Brown Bread. Seems things always happen for a reason.

Recipe

Irish Brown Bread aka Kathleen's Irish Brown Bread

Makes one loaf

Ingredients

3 cups (390g) all-purpose flour (recommend Gold Medal)

2 cups (120g) wheat bran (recommend Bob's Red Mill)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

Serving options: Room temperature Irish butter, your favorite preserves or jam, scrambled eggs/smoked salmon, slice of fresh mozzarella sprinkled with flaky sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F).  Line a cast iron baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients. 

3. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk.

4. Using your hands or a dough whisk bring the dough together. Once the dough begins to form, use your hands to shape it into a round or an oval loaf. Be careful to not overwork the dough.

5. Press down so the height of dough is somewhere between 2" and 3".

6. Cut a deep cross over the top of the dough. Make a deep slit into each quarter.

7. Place dough on parchment paper.

8. Place pan in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom (my baking time was 35 minutes).

9. Remove the bread from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

10. Let bread rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing.

11. Keep any leftover bread at room temperature. Wrap in plastic wrap or keep in a sealed container.

Notes: (1) If you would like your Irish Brown Bread to have a tad amount of sweetness to it, consider adding 2-3 Tablespoons of granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons of light brown sugar, or 2 Tablespoons of molasses.

The Boulevardier Cocktail

In times of duress I don't often say something like "I need a drink!". A piece of chocolate is often my go-to antidote to either dealing with stress or coping with disappointment. But watching March Madness basketball this weekend, specifically the Illinois vs Loyola game, I actually uttered those words. The classic, iconic Boulevardier Cocktail was supposed to the post-game celebratory drink. Instead it became the post-game recovering from shock and wallowing in defeat cocktail. For those of you have a fondness for Bourbon Whiskey, you know it has a way of putting a disappointment into perspective. So in spite of watching my Alma Mater lose, the Boulevardier Cocktail was a winner.

First invented and served during Prohibition at Harry's Bar in NYC, The Boulevardier is Bourbon's answer to the gin made Negroni. The original recipe was made with equal parts Bourbon Whiskey, Campari, and Sweet Vermouth, but over the years the ratios has been nuanced. In addition to increasing the amount Bourbon, the more traditional orange peel garnish is often replaced with a lemon twist, with a maraschino cherry or with the more decadent Luxardo cherries.

However, unlike the Paper Plane, my other favorite Bourbon based cocktail, The Boulevardier is a stirred not shaken cocktail. Unlike a shaken drink where water is often one of the added 'secret' ingredients, a stirred cocktail is the more gentler, perfect way to keep your cocktail Bourbon forward. 

Instead of the more common Martini and Rossi Sweet Vermouth, this cocktail was made with Antica Formula, the exquisite Italian Sweet Vermouth. Considered to be a standard in any highly respectable bar. In addition, to being the perfect ingredient for a refined cocktail, it has just the right amount of richness, vanilla notes, and spice to hold up to the Campari. Either an orange peel or Luxardo Cherries perfectly compliments the flavor profile of this sweet vermouth. And if you ask me, a cocktail made with Italian made Campari and Antica Formula Vermouth calls for a luxe Italian maraschino cherry as the garnish.

Serving The Boulevardier Cocktail in a coupe glass rather than a lowball glass isn't just a more elegant presentation. It encourages sipping. In other words, you don't want to rush the experience of savoring this classic cocktail.

Serve The Boulevadier with a bowl of Marcona Almonds or your favorite cocktail nuts. 

Soon we will again be able to host gatherings with family and/or friends. Which means it's time to up your Bourbon cocktail game. Boulevardier Cocktails or Paper Planes are both perfect beverages to welcome the return of a new, better normal. And speaking of game, the Boulevardier is a perfect cocktail whether your team advances in or loses during March Madness. Becausee Bourbon based cocktails make everything a little bit better. And given the choice between a piece of chocolate of a Boulevardier I think I would choose the latter.

Recipe

The Boulevardier Cocktail

Makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients

2 ounces Bourbon Whiskey (I have a fondness for Russell's Reserve.)

1 ounce Campari

1 ounce Sweet Vermouth (highly recommend the Italian Antica Formula Vermouth)

Ice Cubes

Luxardo Cherries or an Orange Twist

Optional: Marcona Almonds or your favorite mixed nuts

Directions

1. Pour the Bourbon, Campari, and Sweet Vermouth into a cocktail shaker.

2. Add a generous handful of ice cubes. Stir until the liquids are blended and chilled (no more than 30 seconds).

3. Strain into a coupe glass.

4. Garnish with either Luxardo Cherries or an Orange peel.

5. Sip and savor. And as always, drink responsibly.

Notes: (1) The original Boulevardier Cocktail was made with 1.5 ounces of Bourbon whiskey, 1.5 ounces Campari, and 1.5 ounces of Sweet Vermouth. Alternately it can be made with 3 parts Bourbon whisky, 2 parts, Campari, and 1part Sweet Vermouth. You can decide which version of The Boulevardier Cocktail is your favorite.

Chocolate Guinness Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

What better way to welcome in the arrival of spring than with a piece of cake! More specifically, with a piece of this sinfully delicious Chocolate Guinness Cake with Cream Cheese Icing. Just in case you didn't celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a bottle or two of Guinness Stout, you can now 'have your Guinness and eat it too!'. If anyone asked me to choose between an ice cold bottle of Guinness and this cake, I would more than likely take the cake. Because in a way I wouldn't be choosing at all. 

Technically there are eleven chocolate cake recipes posted to the blog. So the recipe for this Guinness Cake with Cream Cheese Icing now makes it an even dozen. Even without having the other eleven cakes in front of me, I am going to say this one may rank up there as one of the fudgiest, moistest, densest, richest chocolate cakes ever to come out of my kitchen. At the moment, it's my current favorite. And not just because it's made with Guinness or topped with the most ethereal cream cheese icing. It is seriously a really, really great, borderline best ever, chocolate cake.

This humble Chocolate Guinness Cake with Cream Cheese Icing is dinner party, birthday party, even wedding cake worthy. But it doesn't need to be made only for a special occasion as it's a perfect every day cake as well. Because if we have learned anything in the last 371 days, it's that we need more cake.

In addition to being made with chocolate and Guinness, what is not to love about a cake essentially made using a whisk and a saucepan? One might never expect a cake made in a saucepan to have such a depth of flavor or more perfect texture. Quite possibly the cake's simplicity is responsible. 

For those of you who don't particularly enjoy drinking beer, ale, or even a stout, you might put this Chocolate Guinness Cake with Cream Cheese Icing in the 'not for me' category. If only I didn't have to tell you it was made with Guinness. Because I am certain if you are open to possibility and/or take just one taste of this divinely delicious cake, you will start looking at stout very differently. 

As you will see in the recipe below, the cake batter comes together in a saucepan. Yes, a saucepan! After the Guinness and butter are heated until the butter has melted, the pan is removed from the heat. First to be added to the Guinness/butter mixture is the granulated sugar and Dutch-processed cocoa, followed by the mixture of the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. And lastly, the flour, baking soda and Kosher salt are whisked in. The consistency of the batter will be on the thin side.

After pouring the batter into a prepared nine inch cake pan, the cake bakes in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 45-50 minutes or until done (it should spring back when lightly pressed). While the cake is baking make the cream cheese icing.

The addition of a small amount of heavy whipping cream is what contributes to the icing's creaminess. The cream gets whipped into icing after the cream cheese, confectionary sugar, and vanilla and have been well blended. You might initially think the addition of the heavy whipping cream will make for a 'soupy' icing. However, whipping the cream into cream cheese/sugar mixture until it is light and fluffy actually helps to an incredibly light, fluffy, creamy icing. Giving the icing some time to chill in the refrigerator (about 30 minutes) before icing the cake helps to further set it up. 

While the icing chills in the refrigerator, let the cake come to room temperature.

For some reason this simple cake called for the luscious cream cheese icing to be simply swirled on top.

The cream cheese icing is the perfect compliment to this deeply flavored, dense, rich chocolate cake. I am not certain I would top the cake with any other icing. Why mess with perfection?

If there was ever a cake to satisfy a craving for something sweet or to celebrate the arrival of spring, this swoonworthy Chocolate Guinness Cake with Cream Cheese Icing would be all that and then some. 

Recipe

Chocolate Guinness Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Makes one 9" round single layer cake

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

Chocolate Guinness Cake

10 Tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, if possible, use a European style butter

1 cup (8 ounces) Guinness Stout (

3/4 cup (80g) Dutch-processed cocoa

2 cups (400g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (180g) sour cream

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Cream Cheese Icing

1 7/8 cups (234g) confectionary sugar

12 ounces (339g) cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Chocolate Guinness Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Butter and line a 9" round cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a medium-large sized saucepan, add in the Guinness and unsalted butter. Over medium heat, whisk occasionally until the butter melts.

3. Remove the pan from the heat.

4. Whisk in the sugar and Dutch-processed cocoa. 

5. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and well blended.

6. Add to the Guinness/butter mixture. Whisk to incorporate.

7. Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda and Kosher salt. Whisk until fully blended. 

8. Pour batter into the prepared pan. 

9. Place the pan on a large baking sheet and then place in the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cake is firm (and springs back when lightly touched). Place cake pan on a cooling rack.

10. Allow cake to rest in pan for at least 20-30 minutes before unmolding onto a platter. Let the cake cool completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing and Finishing

1. In a medium sized bowl, beat the cream cheese until creamy using a hand mixer.

2. Add in the confectionary sugar and vanilla. Beat until well blended.

3. Pour in the heavy whipping cream and beat until light and fluffy.

4. Place bowl of icing in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before using.

5. Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop icing onto the top of the cake.

6. Use an offset spatula to spread icing evenly on top of the cake (do not ice the sides of the cake). 

7. Cut into slices and serve.

8. Store any leftover cake covered in the refrigerator. 

View of the iconic Marina Towers along the dyed green Chicago River, March 2021

Irish Soda Bread

Growing up I always thought my ancestral roots were half Polish and half Irish, with a little bit of Swedish thrown in for good measure. And up until recently if you asked me what my ethnic make-up was, that is what I would have told you. My youngest brother recently decided to have his DNA evaluated by one of the more popular genetic testing companies. And since we both share the same birth parents (although I secretly want to believe I was switched at birth in the hospital), I am going to assume we have exactly the same ethnicity make-up. And guess what? My ethnicity isn't what I thought or was told it was. Seems 44% of my ethnicity is Eastern European and Russian. As a side note, I only recently learned my father's grandfather was Russian not Polish so that explains some of that. But clearly I am not half Polish. As for being Swedish for good measure, well it seems my Swedish ethnicity estimate is 29%. And along with a 4% Norwegian estimate (I suppose you could say good measure), I am much closer to being about a third Scandinavian. As for my Irish heritage, well the analysis showed my DNA had only a 7% Irish ethnicity estimate. A far cry from that half Irish blarney I was told growing up! If the saying 'if you are lucky enough to be Irish, you are lucky enough' holds true, how lucky enough should some with 7% Irish ethnicity be? Guessing it might not be as lucky as being at least 50% or 100% Irish. 

Yet regardless of our ethnic make-up, the one we think it is and the one it really is, we all seem to love some of the St. Patrick's Day traditions. Both the Irish ones as well as the American Irish ones. More than likely you won't find either green beer, corned beef and cabbage or rivers dyed emerald green on this holiday if you were lucky enough to be spending the holiday in Ireland. But you might find a warm loaf of Irish Soda Bread being served up with some Irish butter and a cuppa. Although truth be told, Irish Soda Bread is actually made year round in Ireland. And honestly, I think we should all be making it more than one week or one month a year.

If you don't have a treasured family recipe, one passed down through the generations, or don't have a mother-daughter annual Irish Soda Bread making tradition, this is the recipe to change all of that.

This craggily topped loaf studded with raisins is dense, moist, tender, and a tiny bit sweet. A plate with thick slices served warm or toasted and slathered with some really good Irish butter is almost impossible to resist. 

Made with only eight ingredients, Irish Soda Bread is essentially a quick bread. Grating ice cold butter makes the process of incorporating it into the dry ingredients quick and easy. Using an Irish or European Style butter isn't an absolute necessity, but for some reason Irish Soda Bread wouldn't be Irish without it. The use of 1 1/8 teaspoons of baking soda reflects the rounded teaspoon used by so many authentic Irish home bakers. And always, always shake your buttermilk before measuring it. This recipe uses only raisins. Some recipes use both caraway seeds and raisins. There is another Irish Soda Bread recipe on the blog using both of those ingredients. You can find that recipe here.

Once the dough comes together, it's kneaded only long enough to get it formed into a ball. It's important to not over knead the dough or you will let some of the air out of the dough. If the dough is a bit too sticky, add in a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time. A little bit of stickiness isn't a bad thing. If you are able to pick up the ball with your floured hands and place in your parchment paper lined cast iron pan, it's perfect.

Use a sharp knife to cut an "X" into the top of the loaf before putting it in the oven. There's some folklore saying if you cut an "X" in the top of the loaf it lets the fairies out and ensures a bit of good luck. You can bet I am not messing with any Irish folklore!

In a preheated 450 degree (F) oven, the Irish Soda Bread bakes for 40-45 minutes or until beautifully golden and will spring back when lightly pressed.

Allow the bread to remain the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.

Then try to let it rest another 30 minutes before you cut it into thick slices. Allowing the bread to rest and cool down slightly makes it easier to cut.

Before sharing this recipe with you I asked my 100% Irish friend who was originally from County Mayo to taste it as I needed her Irish blessing. I can now consider this heavenly loaf of Irish Soda Bread officially blessed! 

Homemade is almost always better than store bought. So make a loaf or two of this Irish Soda Bread in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Definitely serve it with some room temperature Irish butter and a cuppa (tea). And I promise, after just a few bites of this irresistibly delicious bread your day will be destined to get a wee bit luckier. No matter what your ethnic make-up might actually be!

Recipe

Irish Soda Bread

Makes 1 large delicious loaf

Updated: March 14, 2022

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup (400ml) buttermilk (well shaken before measuring)

1 large egg

4 1/2 cups (567g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

6 Tablespoons (90g) granulated sugar

1 1/8 teaspoons (6g) baking soda

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

5 1/2 Tablespoons (78g) ice cold unsalted butter grated, preferably an Irish or European style butter

1 cup (150g) dark raisins (add in an additional 1/4 cup (38g) of raisins if you like your bread heavily studded with raisins)

Optional: White Sparkling Sugar

Room temperature Irish butter for serving

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Line an 11-12 inch cast iron pan with a sheet of parchment paper. Lightly butter top of parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and Kosher salt.

3. Add in grated butter, using your fingers to just work it into the flour.

4. Stir in the raisins.

5. Whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Slowly pour the mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring with a dough whisk or wooden spoon as you pour. Continue stirring until well incorporated. Dough may be sticky. If too sticky lightly dust with and mix in one Tablespoon of flour at a time.

6. Turn the dough a lightly floured surface.

7. Lightly dust your hands and knead (or rather shape) the dough into a ball (this should take less than a minute). 

8. Transfer the ball to the prepared pan. Use a sharp knife and cut a large "X" in the center of the dough ball. Because you must let the fairies out! Brush the top with some heavy cream and generously sprinkle with sparkling sugar if using. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before placing in the oven.

9. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the bread is golden brown, springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and the center looks cooked through. Be careful to not over bake.

10. Remove from the oven and let the bread rest for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

11. Let the bread cool for another 30 minutes before cutting into thick slices. Serve with room temperature Irish butter.

12. The bread is best on the day it's made but slices can be reheated in the microwave or toasted.

Notes: (1) I used Kerrygold Unsalted butter for the bread dough but Kerrygold Salted Butter for serving. (2) When measuring the flour I used a 1 cup to 126g ratio. (3) The originally published recipe called for 4 Tablespoons of granulated sugar and baking at 450 degrees (F). This updated version increases the amount of sugar to 6 Tablespoons and reduces baking temperature to 400 degrees (F). (4) Optional, a splash of vanilla to the egg and buttermilk mixture.

Chicago River dyed Green, Chicago, Illinois (March 2021)

Baked Soft Pretzels

Do you remember the first time you tasted a warm, pillowy, buttery, salty pretzel? For some of us, that first delicious bite came from an Auntie Anne's. Once the aroma of freshly baked pretzels was detected, it is almost impossible to restrain oneself from following that heavenly scent to the store's door. Many years back, it was equally impossible to say 'no' to my young niece and nephew who always seemed to want a warm pretzel every time we brought them to the mall with us. Twenty something years ago it never occurred to me that I could make fresh baked pretzels at home.

Had I known, Auntie Lynn's Baked Soft Pretzels possibly could have been in contention for their most favorite, most memorable childhood pretzels.

With St. Patrick's Day right around the corner, wouldn't some freshly Baked Soft Pretzels go perfectly with a bottle of Guinness, hard cider or your favorite ale?  I might be a bit biased, but I say YES they would!

The pretzel dough is made with only six ingredients: bread flour, Kosher salt, instant (rapid rise) yeast, melted European-style butter, and sugar. After the yeast, melted butter and sugar are mixed together and rest for five minutes, bread flour and Kosher salt are mixed in with a dough whisk or wooden spoon. The shaggy dough is transformed into a smooth, slightly sticky ball of dough after about five minutes of kneading in a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled (or sprayed) medium sized bowl. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 45-60 minutes (or until doubled in size) in a warm place.

After dividing the dough into eight equal pieces, each piece is rolled out into a rope of approximately 18 inches. To shape the rope into a pretzel, form each dough rope into a "U' shape. Then cross the two ends over each other and fold down to the bottom of the "U" for form a pretzel shape. To get the hang of it, I did a few practice rounds with a piece of string. Once all of the pretzels have been formed, bring the mixture of water, baking soda and sugar to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and lower each pretzel into the baking soda/sugar solution for 20 seconds per side. The process of dipping the pretzels in this mixture not only alters the pH level of the outside of the dough, it contributes to creating that beautiful brown pretzel finish as well as gives it that much loved pretzel flavor. In other words, you don't want to skip this step.

For a deeper golden brown finish, make an egg wash using one large egg, one large egg yolk and one Tablespoon of water. The egg wash will not only allow the pretzel salt to adhere to the dough, but it will give it a beautiful golden brown sheen. The best salt to use for these Baked Soft Pretzels is coarse pretzel salt as it doesn't melt at high temperatures.

Baking time for the pretzels ranges from 14-16 minutes or until the pretzels are golden brown. After removing the pan of pretzels from the oven, brush them with some melted European-style butter to give them a buttery flavor.

Transfer them to a large platter containing bowls of mustards and/or warm melted cheese. These Baked Soft Pretzels are best when served warm (although they can be reheated). If by chance you have any leftover, place in ziplock bag to keep them fresh. Leftover pretzels are great for making sandwiches.

Once you serve your family and friends some freshly Baked Soft Pretzels, it's highly likely they will be asking you to put them on repeat.  

And these pretzels will definitely put you in contention for the best ever hostess/host. 

Recipe

Baked Soft Pretzels

Makes 8 generously sized pretzels

Ingredients

1 cup and 2 Tablespoons warm water (110-115 degrees F)

2 1/4 teaspoons (9g) instant (rapid rise) yeast

1 teaspoon (6g) granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted European style butter, melted and cooled slightly

3 1/2 cups (448g) bread flour, plus more for rolling

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 quarts water

1/4 cup (72g) baking soda

2 Tablespoons (36g) granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 Tablespoon water

Pretzel Salt for sprinkling

2 Tablespoons unsalted European style butter, melted

Serving suggestions: Grainy mustard, yellow mustard, melted cheese, and beer.

Directions

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the water, yeast, sugar, and melted butter. Whisk to combine. Let rest for 5 minutes.

2. Add the flour and Kosher salt. Using a hand held dough whisk or wooden spoon, stir until combined. Dough will be shaggy.

3. Knead in the mixer (using the dough hook) until the dough is smooth, slightly elastic and clears the sides of the bowl (approximately 5 minutes).

4. Remove dough and shape into a ball. 

5. Lightly oil or spray a medium sized bowl. Set the ball of dough in the bowl and tightly cover with plastic wrap. Place bowl in a warm place and let the dough to rise until double in size (approximately 45-60 minutes).

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees (F.)

7. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll and stretch each piece to a length of rope approximately 18 inches. Note: The dough may be a bit resistant to being stretched. So first shape each piece of dough into a chunky tube shape, then gradually lengthen each piece into a long thin rope.

8. Form each piece into a U shape. Cross the two ends over each other and fold down into a pretzel shape. Place on the baking sheet (leaving at least 2 inches between pretzels). Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.

9. Bring the water, baking soda and sugar to a bowl in a medium sized saucepan. Reduce the heat level to a simmer.

10. Gently place a pretzel on a large spatula and lower into the water for 20 seconds per side. Remove with spatula gently shaking off any excess water. Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pretzels.

11. Whisk together the egg, egg yolk, and water. Brush each pretzel with the egg wash and generously sprinkle with pretzel salt. 

12. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden (rotating tray midway). Remove from oven.

13. Brush each pretzel with some melted butter.

14. Serve warm with some melted cheese and/or assortment of mustards.

15. The baked pretzels are best the day they have been baked and right out of the oven. Use any leftover pretzels for sandwiches and/or reheat in the microwave to warm up for a few seconds.

Notes: (1) Slightly adaptation of Shauna Server's Big Soft Pretzel recipe from the cookbook "Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking from the Heartland. (2) Pretzel salt doesn't melt at high temperatures, however, some coarse sea salts will. If at all possible, use pretzel salt. (3) If you make the dough into pretzel bites versus pretzel shapes reduce your baking time to 12-14 minutes.